A SECOND CHANCE AT FOREVER Chapter 10: CHAPTER TEN

ASHLEY

I wasn’t sure what I expected when I agreed to meet Ethan. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy his company—he was thoughtful, attentive, and polite, but today felt different. Like I was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. A fresh coat of paint over a wall too worn to hold its color. The remnants of my conversation with Kyle still lingered, wrapping themselves around my thoughts, casting a shadow I couldn’t shake, no matter how bright the sun seemed.

I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the here and now. On Ethan. I needed to make this work, for my sake.

Ethan looked good. Really good. He was dressed smartly, his shirt crisp and his smile easy, as though he’d been born for this kind of moment. But everything about the night felt off. From the way he guided me through the restaurant, his hand resting awkwardly on my arm instead of the small of my back, to the scent of his cologne—it all felt… forced. A puzzle piece I was trying to jam into the wrong slot. It wasn’t his fault; it was me, still tangled up in the past, still haunted by memories that should’ve stayed buried.

I hadn’t gone on a date in two years—not since I left Kyle. The thought of being with another man still felt foreign, like I was wearing someone else’s skin. 

Stop overthinking things Ashley. You had years to get comfortable with Kyle. You barely know Ethan. Of course it’s going to feel strange.

Ethan glanced over at me, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. “I’ve never been to this restaurant before,” he said, scanning the room as the low hum of conversation and clinking silverware filled the space. “But I’ve heard great things about it.”

“Same here,” I replied, my voice a little tight, the words feeling like they were straining to pass through my lips. It should’ve been easy, right? We were here for a reason, after all.

An awkward silence followed, hanging between us like a thick fog. We’d been able to chat easily enough the other night, at the club, where everything felt more fluid, more carefree. But tonight? Tonight, outside the box of that casual setting, I struggled to think of anything interesting to say.

Should I ask about his job? Mention the weather? Talk about the upcoming holidays? Maybe share my thoughts on the latest TV series I watched? Prison Break, perhaps? But no—everyone had seen that show. It felt too cliché.

Thank goodness for the server, who arrived at that exact moment, rescuing me from drowning in my own thoughts.

“We’ll have the Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape, please,” Ethan said, glancing up at the wine list before settling his gaze on me. 

I opened my mouth, instinctively about to say, “Don’t you want to order the Barossa Valley Shiraz instead?” but I closed it,the moment I realized what I was about to imply.

Kyle always ordered that. Our wine. It was our thing, the one bottle we’d shared on countless nights—whether we were celebrating or simply unwinding. But I stopped myself, feeling the sudden weight of the realization. I wasn’t with Kyle. I wasn’t on a date with him. This wasn’t our dinner. This was mine and Ethan’s.

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. The simple act of ordering wine seemed to pull me back into a time I was trying so hard to move on from. A momentary lapse into something that wasn’t here anymore. I looked away, hoping Ethan wouldn’t notice the rush of emotion flooding my face.

One moment, I was thinking about the meal in front of me, about the garlic bread and the pasta I was excited to try. The next, I was fighting the urge to cry over something as trivial as a wine selection.

Get a hold of yourself Ashley You’re here, on a date with a perfectly nice man. Don’t do this to him. Don’t do this to yourself.

I grabbed my water, gulping it down in a desperate attempt to wash away the overwhelming weight of the memories that threatened to drown me. It didn’t work. Not at all.

Ethan noticed the shift in my mood almost immediately, his brow furrowing with concern. “You okay?” he asked softly, his voice gentle but edged with caution. I could feel his eyes on me, like he was waiting for me to fall apart. It made everything harder. “We can take a rain check if you’re not feeling well. We don’t have to stay.”

His words were kind, too kind, and they only made the lump in my throat grow larger. I was the worst dinner date in the world. I couldn’t even hold it together for one night.

“No. I’m fine.” I quickly wiped at my eyes, forcing a smile, hoping he didn’t notice the crack in my voice. “I just had something in my eye. Stupid, right?” I laughed lightly, but it was hollow. Still, it was enough to get us past the awkward moment. 

I could do this. One meal. One conversation. You can do this.

I cleared my throat and pushed forward. “So, you own a business, right? Tell me more about it.”

Thankfully, the shift in topic worked.

Ethan's eyes brightened, and the tension around us seemed to ease as he dove into his explanation.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, leaning in slightly as he spoke.

“I run a tech startup, mainly focused on developing software for small businesses—helping them streamline their processes, increase efficiency. It’s a lot of coding, a lot of problem-solving, but I love it. I mean, I really do. It’s like solving a puzzle every day.”

His passion was evident as he continued, and I found myself getting caught up in the rhythm of his words. He spoke with such energy, describing how he started the company with a small team of developers, how they’d worked long hours in a cramped office space until they got their first major client, how they’d expanded over the past couple of years.

“It’s funny, though,” he added, a grin tugging at his lips. “When I started out, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just had this idea that I believed in. I think the real key to success in anything is just... persistence. Sticking with it, even when it seems like everything’s falling apart.”

“I know what you mean,” I found myself saying, though I wasn’t sure I’d been that persistent about anything in my life recently. "I think we all need that kind of drive to keep going, even when it’s tough."

Ethan nodded. “Exactly. It's the little wins that keep you going when everything else feels overwhelming.” He paused for a moment, then smirked. “And a few late-night caffeine binges help too.”

I laughed softly, warming to his easygoing humor. It was a relief to not have to overthink every word. This felt normal. Simple. Refreshing.

“So, do you have a team, or is it just you and a few people?” I asked, curious.

“A little bit of both,” he said. “I have a core group of developers, but the team is constantly evolving. It's hard to keep the right balance sometimes, but we’ve gotten better at it. I’ve learned that leadership isn’t just about telling people what to do—it’s about inspiring them, making sure everyone’s on the same page, even when the picture isn’t completely clear. A lot of the time, I’m just trying to keep the ship from sinking while still keeping the vision alive.”

I nodded, impressed. “Sounds like a lot of pressure.”

“Yeah, it definitely can be. But it’s also rewarding, you know? You get to see something you built grow, evolve. It makes all the sleepless nights worth it.”

We fell into an easy conversation after that, the earlier tension slowly melting away. The food was excellent, the wine crisp and smooth, and the conversation, despite the awkward beginning, had become comfortable.